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World Food Programme Response to higher food and fuel prices in West Africa. Timeline. July 2007 : WFP published paper on the macro impact of high food prices in West Africa. May 2008 : First assessments launched (Guinea, Burkina, Liberia). August 2008 :
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World Food ProgrammeResponse to higher food and fuel prices in West Africa
Timeline July 2007: WFP published paper on the macro impact of high food prices in West Africa May 2008: First assessments launched (Guinea, Burkina, Liberia) August 2008: Preliminary costing out of response for WFP in West Africa March 2008: Dakar Workshop on assessing the impact of HFP July 2008: Lean season interventions in direct response to HFP. Assessments continue (Senegal, Niger). End 2008: Food and crop assessments, continuation of impact assessment work and roll out of post-lean season response January 2008: WFP approves HFP response project in Mauritania
Assessments Urban Done Ongoing
Response WFP response WFP Response including cash/vouchers
Response • Expansion of existing programs • Introduction of new programs, with specific reference to urban areas. • Advocacy against trade barriers • ‘Purchase for progress’
Challenges • Adapting assessment and programmatic approaches to the urban context. • Building capacity to implement innovative program modalities such as cash and voucher-based transfers. • Moving from a ‘lean season’/emergency mindset to a medium term planning horizon. • Procurement of food in a fast-changing international market
Issues to monitor • Main harvest in West Africa from now to the end of the year. 2008 crop assesment process beginning in October (CILSS, FAO) • At what levels will prices for local coarse grains stabilize? They remain to date well above long term averages. • Will governments resist the temptation to protect their national markets by restricting trade • Impact of financial crisis